Amalgamating-machine.



No. 628,!08. Patented July 4,189.9. s. MOREAU. I

AMALGAMATING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 189B.)

2 Sheets5heet I,

(No Model.)

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' No. 628,!08. Patented July 4, I899.

s. MOREAU. V

AMALGAMATINGMACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1898.) (No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. SAMUEL MOREAU, OF IRONVVOOD, MICHIGAN.

AMALGAMATI NG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,108, dated July 4,1899.-

Application filed March 11, 1898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL ll/IOREAU, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ironwood, in the county of Gogebic' and Stateof Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amalgamating-Ma chines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to amalgamating-ma' chines for separating gold from dirt; and its objectis to provide an improved construction of the same which shall possess superior advantages with respect to efficiency in use.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of an amalgamating-machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame. Figs.3and4aredetailviews. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the rake. Fig. 6 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of the water-pipe and the clamps and yoke connected therewith. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of the same.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates two posts connected together at the upper end by a cross-bar 2 and provided with base-pieces 3 at the lower end to rest upon a floor. Intermediate the ends said posts are connected by a cross-bar 4, having a central bearing 5, through which loosely passes the lower circular end of a pan 6. This pan is approximately semispherical in shape and at the upper end is formed with an inwardly-extending flange 7 and intermediate its ends is formed or provided with a circular ledge 8, the upper surface of which is concaved, as seen at 9. v

The numeral 10 designates a vertical shaft, the inner end of which extends up into the lower end of the cup and is provided with a flange 12 and the screws 13, by which it is secured to the cup. The lower end of this shaft is stepped in a socket 14, and it and the cup can be reciprocated vertically by a foot- Serial No. 673,525. (No model.)

lever 15, pivotally connected with a sliding cam-block 16, movable upon the shaft and adapted to engage with a fixed cam-block 17. This lever is also provided with a counterbalance-weight 18.

The numeral 19 designates a grooved pulley secured to the said shaft, around which passes a crossed belt 20, which also passes around a pulley 21 and a pulley 23. These two pulleys 21 and 23 are journaled, respectively, to brackets 24 and 25, connected with one of the posts 1. Pulley 23 may be driven by hand or power, as found most convenient or desirable.

The numeral 26 designates a vertical waterpipe provided with a valve 27 and also with a coupling 28. The lower end of this coupling is provided with a fixed clamp 29 and a movable clamp 30. These clamps are held to each other by a yoke 31 and set-screw 32. Olamped between these clamps is a waterpipe 34:, the lower end of which extends down to'near the bottom of the rotatable pan.

The numeral 35 designates a rake comprising two curved arms 36, the adjoining faces of which are formed with semicircular recesses 37, with which engage rake-teeth 38, which are securely held in place by set-screws 39. One of said arms is provided with an apertured lug 40, through which passes the water-pipe 34:. A set-screw 41 passes through said lug and engages with a groove 42 in the exterior of said pipe, which prevents the arms 36 from rotating, yet allows of a limited vertical movement of the same.

The numeral 43 designates a short shaft, the lower end of which is stepped in the upper. end of shaft 10, while its upper end is clamped between the arms 36. This shaft 4L3 is provided with flanges 45 and 46. circling pipe 3 1 and confined between the lug 40 and a fixed collar 47 on said pipe is a coiled spring 48.

The numeral 49 designates a sluice-box surrounding the upper end of the pan and provided with a number of riftles 50. This box is supported by brackets 51.

Passing through the upper end of the shaft 10 is a pipe 52, closed by a plug or cap 53, by which the mercury in the lower end of the pan can be drawn off.

In operation a quantity of mercury is placed V in the lower end of the pan reaching to near the lower end of the pipe 34. The dirt containing the gold is then fed into the pan, the Water-supply turned on, and the pan rotated. This will cause the dirt to be agitated and the gold or other minerals to fall into the lower part of the pan and form an amalgam with the mercury. At the same time part of the gold which does not fall into the mercury will be caught and held on the ledge. The flange at the upper end of the pan will also catch any gold which may be carried upward by centrifugal force and prevent it from escaping into the sluice-box. The dirt and water will escape over the top of the pan, and should any gold be carried over therewith it will be caught and retained'by the riflles.

Vhile the operation just described is being carried on the pan is moved up and down by depressing the foot-lever, so as to more thoroughly agitate the contents, the rake being correspondingly moved upward by the movement of the pan and depressed by the coiled spring.

The object of the coupling and clamps is that by loosening the set-screw of the yoke the pipe 34 may be slipped up, so as to elevate the rake-teeth to enable the pan to be cleaned. The rake-teeth are removable, so that they can be replaced by new ones if broken or worn out.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is 1. In an amalgamating-machine, the combination with the vertically movable and rotatable pan, formed with a flange at the upper end and with an interior ledge between the ends, of the stationary water-pipe, the rake-arms, one of which is provided with a lug vertically movable on said water-pipe, the rake-teeth, the collar on said pipe and the coiled spring, substantially as described.

2. In an amalgamating-machine, the combination with the vertically movable and rotatable pan formed with a flange at the upper end and with an interior ledge between the ds,of the stationary water-pipe formed with a vertical groove, the vertically-movable rakearms,one of which is formed with a lug through hi h said water-pipe passes, the set-screw, the rake-teeth, and the shaft secured to one of aid arms and stepped in the bottom of said an, and the coiled spring on said water-pipe, substantially as described.

3. In an amalgamating-machine, the combination with the vertically movable and 1'0- tatable pan formed with a flange at the upper end and with an interior circular ledge, of the water-pipe, the coupling, the clamps, the yoke, the set-screw, the vertically-movable rake-arms, the rake-teeth and the shaft secured to said arms and stepped in the bottom of said pan, substantially as described.

4. In an amalgamating-machine, the combination with the vertically movable and rotatable pan formed with a flange at the upper end and with an interior circular concaved ledge, and the sluice-box provided with riffles surrounding said pan, of the waterpipe, the rake-arms vertically movable on said pipe, the rake-teeth clamped between said arms, the shaft secured to one of said arms and stepped in the lower part of said pan, the fixed and movable clamps, the yoke, the set-screw, and the coupling with which said fixed clamp is connected, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL MOREAU.

Vitnesses:

GEORGE A. CUNY, BELMONT WAPLES. 

